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Kedarnath North Indian Temple
¤ The Holy Pilgrimage Centre
of Hindus
Altitude : 3,581m
Temperature : Max: 17.9°C, Min: 5.6<°C
Distance : 77km from Rudraprayag
42km from Badrinath, 228km from Rishikesh
 Situated
on the banks of the Mandakini River, Kedarnath is one of the four main
Hindu pilgrim centres in Uttarakhand (Himalayan Uttara Pradesh).
Though mainly famous as a religious centre, this place, surrounded by
mountain ranges, also attracts tourists because of its beautiful
landscape.
¤ Main Attractioins
The most famous monument of Kedarnath is the Kedarnath Temple. It is
dedicated to Shiva(Destroyer in the Hindu Holy Trinity of
Creator-Preserver-Destroyer) who is worshipped mainly in the form of a
linga(symbolic phallus of Shiva). The jyotirlinga(the phallus of
light) in this temple is one of the twelve jyotirlingasthroughout
India, which makes Kedarnath one of the most sacred Hindu cities. The
difference between a jyotirlingaand an ordinary lingais that while the
former derives power from within itself, the latter is invested with
mantra-shakti(power of a verse or phrase that has magical efficiency)
by priests. Legend has it that the Temple was built by the
Pandavas(the heroes of the epic, Mahabharata) to redeem themselves for
the sins they had committed during the Bharata War (for more detail
about the Bharata War see Ancient Scriptures). Going by this
reckoning, the temple must be very ancient, probably dating back to
the pre-Christian era. But evidence shows that it was built in the 8th
century a.d. As a matter of fact, in the 8th centurya.d., the temple
was reconstructed and renovated by Shankaracharaya (for more detail
see History of Kerala) who also established a matha(Hindu monastic
establishment) at Badrinath.
As the temple is located on the snowy heights of the Himalayas, the
entrance into the temple is restricted throughout winter. Therefore,
it is open six months a year, from May to October.
¤ Around Kedarnath
Vasuki Tal
Situated at an altitude of 4135m and surrounded by the Chaukhamba
Mountain Ranges, Vasuki Tal is a lovely lake. You can get an excellent
view of the Chaukhamba Peak (7,138m) from here.
Ukhimath
62km from Kedarnath
Well connected by road with Rudraprayag, Ukhimath is a peaceful
place. The deities of the Kedarnath Temple are installed at this matha
(Hindu monastic establishment) when the Kedarnath Temple closes during
winter.
Devaria Tal
68km from Kedarnath
Located at a height of 2,430m, it is a very beautiful lake.You can
get an excellent view of the Chaukhamba Peak from here.
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